Trimming attachment for sewing machines



Feb. 2, 1954 J. GALKIN I TRIMMING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1952 FlG.l

JOSEPH GALKIN INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 2, 1954 I J. GALKIN 2,667,850

TRIMMING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Decf16, 1952 sSheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICETRIMMING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES This invention relates totrimming mechanism for sewing machines; and particularly to that type oftrimming mechanism wherein a movable cutting blade passes up and downthrough the work support of the sewing machine, and by cooperation witha fixed blade substantially level with the work support, trims thefabric which is being seamed.

In such trimming mechanism as heretofore constructed, when operating onsoft fabric, the trimmed selvage material cannot push the trimmedselvage material ahead of it and the machine gets clogged up and theselvage gets caught and packed behind the heel of the movable blade andmakes the machine inoperative.

Instead of attempting to push the chips rearwardly over a fiathorizontal work supporting base, this attachment guides the chipsdownwardly and forwardly of the machine.

This attachment comprises a chip guard or guide trough having a wallwhich extends slightly to the rear of the movable cutting blade andterminates in a downwardly and forwardly extending inclined guide wallwhich guides the selvage trimmings forwardly and so that the trimmedselvage material falls down at the front of the machine due to itsweight.

This attachment relates particularly to sewing machines designed forattaching an elastic tape to woven fabrics such as the waistbands ofbloomers to permit the waist portion to stretch to the required size.

In prior art it was necessary to fold the edge of the garment fabric.The stitching passed over the folded edge and covered the edge.

With the attachment herein disclosed, the waistband edge of the garmentfabric is trimmed just prior to the stitching operation. The stitchingpasses over and conceals the trimmed but unfolded edge. The resultingseam is flat and of less thickness than the prior edge-folded seam.

This invention is particularly directed to an improved trimmingattachment wherein the movable cutting blade is actuated from below thework supporting base of the sewing machine and the main object of thisinvention is to provide an arrangement of mechanism whereby the base isfree of upstanding brackets and the operator can clearly see thematerials being fed to the needles and this results in improved qualityof workmanship.

Another object of this invention is to provide a movable chip guardfixed to a movable blade carrier and at the upper surface of a movableblade and movable up and down with the blade while slightly inside thefixed chip guard, the movable chip guard having an upright extensionsloping forwardly and causing the chips to move forwardly and fall intothe fixed chip guard which facilitates their sliding out'from themachine.

This application is a continuation in part of my now abandoned patentapplication, Serial No. 33,114, filed June 15, 1948, and a continuationin part of. my now abandoned patent application, Serial No. 57,950,filed November 2, 1948.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will behereinafter more particularly described, and the combination andarrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a work supporting base of asewing machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a fragmentary portion of the Worksupporting base portion of the sewing machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the work supporting baseshown in Figures 1 and 2, and including a modified and improved trimmingmechanism.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a fragmentary portion of the trimmingmechanism shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 55 in Figure 3, andshowing nested chip guards.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, without the chip guards.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 1-1 in Figure 3 andshowing a dual guard arrangement.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, shown in Figures 1 and2, the numeral Ill indicates a work supporting base of a sewing machine,comprising a base plate ll, two spaced needles [2, and a presser-footI3, resting on a needle plate l4 secured to the work supporting base l0.

Projecting through the needle-plate I4 is a work advancing feed-dog [5having actuating mechanism (not shown) but which may be of the usualfour-motion type of feeding mechanism.

The feed-dog i5 is opposed by the presser-foot l3 having its shank I6suitably secured to the lower end of a presser-bar ll vertically movablein the head of the sewing machine in the usual manner.

The needles l2 are secured in a needle-bar i8 vertically movable in thehead of the sewing machine. Cooperating with the needles I2 below thework supporting base 10 is an oscillating looper (not shown). The looperthread interlocks with the needle threads to form two needle interlockstitching.

driven. v The trimming mechanism comprises a cutting blade 2| fixed tothe work supporting base In and which lies parallel to the line ofstitching and with its cutting edge atthe upper level of the worksupporting base H). j j

A cooperating movable cutting blade 22 is carried by a slotted head 23at one end of a rod 24.

27. A coil spring 28 mounted on the rod 24 and compressed between aslidable collar 29 and the bearing 26, urges the movable blade 22 inyieldable cutting engagement with the fixed cutting blade Zl. The collar29 is bifurcated and engages the rocker arm 21 and prevents rotation ofthe rod 2 3.

The rocker arm 21 is fixed to a rod 30 rockably mounted in brackets 3|,32 fixed to the base platel I. The rocker arm 2'! is oscillated througha link 35 fixed to the rod 30 and through a strap arm 35 from aneccentric 36 at one end of the main shaft 20.

The movable cutting blade 22 is of arcuate form and its lower end orheel portion coacts with the fixed cutting blade 2| to trim therighthand edge of. fabric fed by the feed-dog It: to the needles I2.

In order to positively clear the blades of the trimmed selvage andprevent clogging of the blades I provide a chip guard 3i having avertical wall 38 extending slightly to the rear of the heel of themovable blade 22.

At the lower end of the vertical wall 38, the guard 37 extends forwardlyand downwardly as defined by an inclined wall 40. The work supportingbase ID has a covered opening 4| and the presser-foot has a transverseopening 42 in front of the needles to permit the guard wall 38 to extendupwardly therethrough and terminate slightly above the work-supportingbase H1. The lowermost edge of the chip guard 31 extends outwardlybeyond the work supporting base I and delivers the trimmed selvage clearof the sewing machine. The guard 3'! is fixed to the base plate II byscrews 43.

Figures 3 .to '7, inclusive, show a modified and improved trimmingmechanism 50.

As shown in Figures 3 to 7, inclusive, the numeral l0 indicates afragmentary portion of the work-supporting base of the sewing machineshown in Figures 1 and 2.

The sewing machine shown in Figures 3 to '7, inclusive, comprises thebase plate 1, two spaced needles I2 and a presser-foot l3 resting on aneedle-plate M.

Projecting through the needle-plate I4 is the work advancing feed-dog l5having actuating mechanism of the usual four-motion type.

The feed-dog I5 is opposed by the presser-foot I3 having its shank l6secured to the lower end of the presser-bar ll vertically movable in thehead of the sewing machine in the usual manner.

The needles l2 are secured in the needle bar l8 and cooperate with anoscillating looper |9 to form two needle interlock stitching.

The main shaft 20 is journaled in the base portion ll of the machine anddrives the stitch forming and feeding elements.

The improved trimming mechanism 5|) comprises a cutting blade 2| fixedto the work supporting base l0 and which lies parallelto the The rod 24is slidably'mounted in spacedapart bearing portions 25, 26 of a rockerarm 4 line of stitching and with its cutting edge at the upper level ofthe work supporting base I0. 7 The improved trimming mechanism 50comprises a carrier plate 5| positioned below the work supporting basel0 and a shaft carrying bracket 52 which is adjustable with the carrierplate. The bracket 52 has an elongated keyshaped extension 53 positionedparallel with the shaft 5%. The carrier plate 5| has a keyway 55 intowhich the key-shaped extension 53 is slidably mounted. A screw 56 isthreaded in a lug 51 which extends downwardly from the carrier plate 5|.A screw 66 passes through an elongated slot 6| in the carrier plate 5!and is threaded into the extension 53. It is thus possible by means ofthe screws 56 and B0 to adjust the bracket and the blades in desiredrelation to the carrier plate so that the blades 2| and 62 are inore-determined spaced-apart relation from the needles. of the trimmedseam.

The cooperating movable cutting blade 62 is carried by a rocker arm ormovable blade carrier 63 fixed to the shaft 5 4. The shaft 52 isrockably mounted in a bearing 65 extending from the bracket 52.

The rocker arm 83 is oscillated through a link 66 fixed to the shaft 55and through a strap arm 6? from an eccentric 68 on the main shaft 2%.

The movable blade 62 is substantially C-shaped, and at its upper portionit oo-acts with the fixed cutting blade 2i to trim the right-hand edgeof the fabric fed by the feed-dog E5 to the needles 12.

A coil spring 58 mounted on the shaft 54 and compressed between a threadnut 59 and the bearing 65 urges the movable blade 62 in yieldablecutting engagement with the fixed cutting blade 2|. 7

In order to positively clear the blades 2| and 62 of the trimmed selvageand prevent clogging of the blades while maintaining a clear uppersurface of the Work supporting base It, I provide a main chip guard 69which is fixed to a supplemental portion N3 of the work supporting baseIt by screws 7|. The chip guard 69 has a substantially vertical guardwall 72 extending slightly to the rear of the cutting blades.

The chip guard 69 has a forwardly and downwardly' inclined wall 13 whichterminates at the front face of the base A supplementary guard plate orcover plate 75 is fixed in upright position to the base by screws 76.

A further chip guard ll is secured by a screw 14 to the movable bladecarrier 63 and has an upright side wall i8 which is bent downwardly. Thechip guard ll has a vertical and forwardly curving guard wall isfollowing the C-shape of the movable blade 62.

The work supporting base I83 has a through covered opening 36 and thepresser-foot 13 has a transverse opening 82 in front of the needles topermit the guard walls 72 and it to extend upwardly therethrough andterminate slightly above the work-supporting base Hi.

The lowermost portion of the chip guard 69 extends outwardly beyond thebase plate II and delivers the trimmed selvage clear of the sewingmachine.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen that by actuating the shaft54 by a transverse link 66, that an unobstructed opening 85 is providedinsthe front portion of the base and in alignment with the main chipguard $9.

The trimmed selvage is thus constrained to move sideways through thetransverse opening This adjustment controls the width 7 82 in thepresser-foot E3, downwardly over the upright wall 19 of the further chipguard 11 and then forwardly over the wall 13 of the main chip guard 69and entirely clear of the forward face of the sewing machine base I l.

The arrangement disclosed makes possible continued operation of thesewing machine because the selvage or chips cannot reach the workingparts inside the base H and are further kept away from the upper surfaceof the work supporting base l0 and automatically delivered outside themachine, which was not possible heretofore.

An important improvement of this modified attachment over attachmentsheretofore in use, is that the stationary blade 2| is integral with aslidable bracket 52 carrying the shaft 54.

The result is that both blades may be moved simultaneously to the rightof the needle to increase the amount of fabric left at one side of theneedles for strength, etc.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described and illustratedthe preferred embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood thatvarious changes and modifications can be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a trimming attachment for a sewing machine having a needle,comprising a work supporting base, a presser-foot, a cutting blade fixedto said work supporting base, a cooperating movable cutting bladecarried by a movable blade carrier and actuated from a horizontal shaftrockably mounted directly below said work supporting base, a main chipguard fixed to said work supporting base and having a rearwardly andupwardly inclined wall terminating in a guard wall positioned slightlyto the rear of said cutting blades and forming an unobstructed openingat the front portion of said base and to one side of said needle, afurther chip guard fixed to said movable blade carrier and facingdownwardly into said main chip guard and having a rear upright guardwall, said work supporting base having a portion removed providing athrough opening to permit said vertical guard walls to extend upwardlyabove said work supporting base, said presser-foot having a transverseopening permitting said movable cutting blade to pass upwardlytherethrough, and means for actuating said rock shaft from beneath saidwork supporting base to thereby leave said front opening unobstructedand in coaction with the needle and with said main chip guard, wherebyselvage trimmings from said cutting blades may move downwardly throughsaid transverse opening in said foot, downwardly over said upright guardwall of said further chip guard and then forwardly over said inclinedwall of said main chip guard and discharge entirely clear of the forwardface of said sewing machine base.

2. In a trimming attachment for a sewing machine having a needle,comprising a work supporting base, a presser-foot, a bracket slidablymounted below said work supporting base, a cutting blade fixed to saidbracket, a co-operating movable cutting blade carried by a movable bladecarrier and actuated from a horizontal shaft rockably mounted directlybelow said work supporting base, a spring pressing against one end ofsaid shaft and causing said fixed and movable cutting blades to be intensioned cutting relation, a main chip guard fixed to said worksupporting base and having a rearwardly and upwardly inclined wallterminating in a guard wall positioned slightly to the rear of saidcutting blades and forming an unobstructed opening at the front portionof said base and to one side of said needle, a further chip guard fixedto said movable blade carrier and facing into said main chip guard andhaving a rear upright guard wall, said work supporting base having aportion removed providing a through opening to permit said verticalguard walls to extend upwardly above said work supporting base, saidpresser-foot having a transverse opening permitting said movable cuttingblade to pass upwardly therethrough, and means for actuating said rockshaft from beneath said work supporting base to thereby leave said frontopening unobstructed in its co-action with said needle and with saidmain chip guard, whereby selvage trimmings from said cutting blades maymove downwardly through said transverse opening in said foot, downwardlyover said upright guard wall of said further chip guard and thenforwardly over said inclined wall of said main chip guard and dischargeentirely clear of the forward face of said sewing machine base.

3. In a trimming attachment for a sewing machine having a needle,comprising a work supporting base, a presserfoot, a bracket slidablymounted below said work supporting base, a cutting blade fixed to saidbracket, a co-operating movable cutting blade carried by a movable bladecarrier and actuated from a horizontal shaft rockably mounted directlybelow said work supporting base, a spring pressing against one end ofsaid shaft and causing said fixed and movable cutting blades to be intensioned cutting relation, a main chip guard fixed to said worksupporting base and having a rearwardly and upwardly inclined wallterminating in a guard wall positioned slightly to the rear of saidcutting blades and forming an unobstructed opening at the front portionof said base and to one side of said needle, a further chip guard fixedto said movable blade carrier and facing into said main chip guard andhaving a rear upright guard wall,

said work supporting base having a portion removed providing a throughopening to permit said vertical guard walls to extend upwardly abovesaid work supporting base, said presserfoot having a transverse openingpermitting said movable cutting blade to pass upwardly therethrough, andmeans for actuating said rock shaft from beneath said work supportingbase to thereby leave said front opening unobstructed in its co-actionwith said needle and with said main chip guard, whereby selvagetrimmings fromsaid cutting blades may move downwardly through saidtransverse opening in said foot, downwardly over said upright guard wallof said further chip guard and then forwardly over said inclined wall ofsaid main chip guard and discharge entirely clear of the forward face ofsaid sewing machine base, said slidable bracket permitting both saidblades to be jointly moved sideways of said needle to vary the amount offabric left at the trimmed edge of the fabric. JOSEPH GALKIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,016,590 Weis Feb. 6, 1912 1,048,204 Onderdonk Dec. 24, 19121,353,534 Hughes Sept. 21, 1920

